The European Parliament is the unicameral representative body of the European Union. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are elected by direct universal suffrage in the EU Member States every five years, with the specific electoral arrangements determined by the electoral system of each country.
The most recent European Parliament elections were held on 6–9 June 2024, marking the beginning of the 10th parliamentary term (2024–2029).
The European Parliament has 720 Members in total. The number of MEPs elected in each Member State is determined primarily by the size of its population.
The European Parliament has its official seats in Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium), where committee and secretariat work is carried out and additional plenary sessions are held; Strasbourg (French Republic), where plenary sessions take place; and Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), which hosts the Parliament’s administrative services, including translation, IT support and legal services.
The political groups in the European Parliament’s 10th parliamentary term are:
The vast majority of EU legislation is adopted jointly by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, based on a proposal from the European Commission. This procedure is known as the ordinary legislative procedure.
In certain cases, the EU Treaties provide for special legislative procedures, such as the consultation procedure and the consent procedure, under which the European Parliament does not have an equal role with the Council of the European Union, as it does under the ordinary legislative procedure.
The European Parliament:
The European Parliament exercises democratic and parliamentary scrutiny over other EU institutions and bodies, including the European Council, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the European Court of Auditors and the European Ombudsman.
The EU–Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) was established pursuant to Article 467 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. It serves as a forum for Members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Members of the European Parliament to hold meetings and exchange views.
The Parliamentary Association Committee consists of Members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on the one hand, and Members of the European Parliament, on the other.
Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Delegation to the PAC: Vadym HALAYCHUK (Servant of the People parliamentary faction).
Head of the European Parliament Delegation to the PAC: Pekka TOVERI (Finland, EPP).
The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (Euronest PA) is a platform for parliamentary cooperation between the European Union and its Eastern European partners — Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus, whose participation is currently suspended.
The Euronest PA was established on 3 May 2011 in Brussels, when the Speakers of the parliaments of the Eastern Partnership countries and the European Parliament signed the constituent act of the Assembly.
The Euronest PA aims to contribute to creating the conditions necessary to accelerate political association and further economic integration between the EU and its Eastern Partnership partners, as well as to strengthen cooperation both within the region and between the region and the European Union.
Euronest PA Co-President from the European Parliament: Sergey LAGODINSKY (Germany, Greens).
Cooperation between committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament is an established format of parliamentary cooperation based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament on a common framework for parliamentary support for democracy in the context of Ukraine’s recovery and its accession to the European Union, signed on 28 November 2023.
The Jean Monnet Dialogues for Peace and Democracy are high-level meetings between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament aimed at supporting the implementation of parliamentary reform in Ukraine.
The format was established following the signing, on 3 July 2015 in Kyiv, of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament on a common framework for parliamentary support and enhanced institutional capacity.
European Parliament Programme Coordinator: Pat COX (Ireland, President of the European Parliament, 2002–2004).
The Friends of European Ukraine Group in the European Parliament is an informal grouping of Members of the European Parliament who support Ukraine.
The group was established in 2014 during the 8th parliamentary term of the European Parliament at the initiative of Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Lithuania, Renew).
During the 10th parliamentary term, the group has approximately 90 Members of the European Parliament. It serves as a platform for a range of activities in support of Ukraine, including discussions, flash mobs and cultural events.
Chair: Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Lithuania, Renew).
Since the first day of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, on 24 February 2022, the European Parliament has actively supported Ukraine.
During plenary sessions, Members of the European Parliament hold debates addressing various aspects of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Discussions are also held within parliamentary committees and political groups.
More information on the European Parliament’s website:
https://ukraine.europarl.europa.eu/uk/home
European Parliament resolutions in support of Ukraine:
https://ukraine.europarl.europa.eu/en/documents/ep-resolutions
European Parliament in Ukrainian on X:
https://x.com/Europarl_UA